Summaries

Synopsis

In this fact-based story, it is 2008 and Joe Weider has arrived at the place of worship where his brother Ben's funeral will take place. The only other person there is a man who will interview him. Both men are wearing yarmulkes. Joe criticizes the man for how he dressed for a funeral but the man says his sneakers and everything else are black.

The interview begins. In a flashback Anna gives birth to Joe and is outraged that Joe is not a girl. In another flashback, it is 1932 in Montreal and Joe and his younger brother Ben are dirty as they sneak into the circus and watch the strongman lift weights. When they get home Anna is very angry and uses what looks like a belt. Then Joe in 2008 talks about he did whatever he could to make money, and back in the past he is beaten up by bullies who take his money and insult him for being Jewish. Anna is upset he didn't try harder to hold on to his money.

Joe gets interested in a magazine published by Bill Hauk that focuses on bodybuilding and he works to improve himself with makeshift weights. At this point, nearly all of the movie is taking place in the past. Joe wins a trophy for weightlifting in 1937. His father Louis is very happy but his mother thinks he is wasting his life.

Joe leaves home with Ben. His father is sorry to see him go and lets him know this, but his mother does not seem to care.

In 1941 the brothers are living in an apartment. Joe is doing research on health and fitness at the university library, where the pretty Kathy sees him and starts a conversation. They get to know each other and soon a home movie of their wedding is shown.

Joe has a job at Murray's restaurant but his boss realizes he left his religion blank on his job application. The boss demands to know if Joe is a Jew because Jews aren't allowed. Joe won't say one way or another but the boss decides he's a hard worker so he'll just put down that he is Catholic. The boss also tells Joe to stop drawing men with muscles because it makes him look gay. But when the boss offers Joe a pie that didn't sell, Joe is reluctant to take it but finally agrees, then the boss throws it in the trash and tells him he can still have it. Joe leaves but then comes back, grabs his boss and hits him over the head with the pie. He angrily tells the boss what he thinks and says the man is flabby and needs to improve his health.

The honeymoon doesn't last, as Joe's research takes over most of the apartment, with books and papers all over the dining room. Kathy is feeling ignored. Joe explains how he is trying to improve himself and help others improve themselves and others. Kathy just wants him to be who he is, which Joe considers an insult.

Joe in 2008 says the marriage is over.

Back in the past, a sign goes up on a large industrial building where Joe will train men to be their best selves. With World War II taking place, men who serve need to be fit and Joe's services are needed. In fact, when Ben enlists, Joe insists on going with him to make sure he will be okay, but Ben says he can serve his country best by what he is already doing. Joe has also started selling his magazine. One man doubts another magazine other than Bill's is needed, but Joe explains that he wants men to improve their bodies just to be healthier, which is different from Bill's focus on competition. He gives the magazines to the man for free to sell, and he can't turn that down.

Bill thinks his new competition is laughable. At a photo session with one of his muscular men, he tells Jerry this. Jerry says he knows Joe because he sold Joe his first real weights and respects what Joe went on to accomplish.

The war is still going on and Roy Hawkins asks Joe to come to his company's office in New York City. Roy, who smokes and drinks as he talks to Joe, says he believes Joe's magazine will be a real success and wants to make it a part of his company. He offers Joe an office in New Jersey and an advance. Joe asks for more, and says he want to go to California because movie stars and people interested in fitness are there. Roy gives Joe more money but the office will still be in New Jersey.

Some years later Joe's business is successful and Ben is becoming a part of it. In addition to his magazine, Joe sells fitness products. In a store, he tells a woman how she can benefit from suing his products and methods. At the office where he has people photographing muscular men, Kate is one of his most valuable employees.

Joe enters some of his men in the 1951 Mr. Universe contest. Then he is told all of them are disqualified because they are professionals. Joe explains they are models for his magazine, but he is told bodybuilders in the Mr. Universe contest must be amateurs. Joe threatens to have his own competition since his men are part of the International Federation of Body Building. Joe's men are allowed to compete but when Ben asks about the organization Joe admits he made that up. Soon, it will be real, with Ben in charge. Ben also wants to make bodybuilding part of the Olympics.

Joe and Ben move to California where there is more interest in fitness and looking good, and because the weather is warmer men don't have to cover up. At Jack LaLanne's gym, Joe has lots of fans. And he sees a pretty girl named Betty Brosmer working out, and they end up in a relationship. He wants her on the cover of his magazine with a man. She wants Tony Curtis to be the man, but Joe doesn't think any Hollywood leading men have the body he wants, so Joe does the cover with Betty himself. Later, he and Betty make their relationship official and get married.

Joe makes history by putting an African-American on his magazine's cover. Bill loves this because his nemesis will get a very negative reaction in the South. And at a press event for Mr. Universe, he ridicules the cover, which causes the Black journalists to get angry and leave. Bill continues with the disparaging remarks and Ben has had enough of Bill's racist and anti-Semitic comments. He walks up to Bill to start a fight but is pulled away by Jerry, who takes him to another room. Ben demands to know why Jerry would work for such a man, and Jerry says he supports what Joe is doing. He says if Ben wants to make bodybuilding an Olympic event, he will help.

Roy's company has gone bankrupt and Joe is already struggling. He will not listen to Kate's good ideas, and even Ben leaves him because he has a family.

Still, Joe makes a comeback, and as he and his associates discuss what they will do next, Betty is drinking an Olympia beer. The contest will be called Mr. Olympia.

Ben has some bad news. A funeral is shown, and the voice of Joe in 2008 says it was his mother's death that made him realize what drove him to do everything he did.

Joe and the others look at photos, including several from men in Europe. One man from Austria looks quite amazing, and matches exactly those drawings Joe has been making since childhood. His name is Arnold but no one wants to pronounce his last name. Joe says that's what a Hollywood leading man should look like.

Joe makes a trip to Austria and meets Arnold, who is quite nice and hard working. Like Joe, he had to create his own weights.

Arnold comes to California and meets the men at the gym. The others like him, and Arnold likes what he sees.

Soon, Arnold is part of the Mr. Olympia competition. Bill has his own man in the contest, Sergio from Cuba. Arnold's response to Bill is just what Joe wants, and proof that Arnold has potential as an actor. Arnold is nervous but Joe just tells him to be himself and have fun. That is enough, as the audience loves this man and the commentators think it is strange this man is having fun. Arnold wins the competition.

Some years later, Arnold is getting his start in acting, but he still thinks he isn't that good and he has this accent. Joe says he also has an accent.

Arnold becomes a major celebrity, and Joe's company is a big success. He and Betty are shown putting his first weightlifting trophy in place.

The house of worship is full, and Ben is praised for his life and accomplishments. At the end, photos of the actual people portrayed in the movie are shown, along with descriptions of what they did in life.